Holiday Baby
Cat had never expected to see him again, let alone here in Maple Springs, in a church of all places, but knowing he’d left after their brief confrontation didn’t sit well. Not at all.
Glancing at a sleeping Opal, Cat gritted her teeth. He’d left her yet again. So similar to the way he’d brushed her off the morning after they’d stayed in that hut, as if what they’d shared had meant nothing. Evidently, Opal was nothing to him, as well.
Ginger glanced at the other two women, still talking. “He’s been coming to church for a couple of months now. Zach invited him. He owns the new jewelry shop in town and makes some gorgeous stuff. Darren bought Bree’s engagement ring there.”
“I saw it.” It was beautiful, a diamond resting in swirls of white gold.
Cat had interviewed Simon last year, yet she remembered that he’d apprenticed under a master bench jeweler in London before becoming a certified gemologist who roamed the world seeking out precious gems. Opening his own jewelry shop might make sense, given his talents and training, but why here?
It wasn’t surprising that Simon and her brother were friends. They were both shop owners. Both artisans. Simon had put down roots in her hometown of all places. He knew members of her family, yet it appeared that he’d never admitted to knowing her.
Ginger picked at the edge of the baby blanket. “He’s a nice guy, Cat. Too bad he’s closing up shop and leaving.”
“What?” Her stomach tipped and rolled.
Ginger shrugged. “No one knows why. His store seemed to be doing well, but he’s announced that he’s closing after the holidays.”
Cat might not describe Simon as nice. He was mysterious and guarded. He wouldn’t talk about himself and she’d had to dig hard to get any information about his background. He’d been a wealth of information on opals, though he hadn’t wanted his name mentioned in the article—only the company for which he worked. He’d said anonymity worked in his favor when buying gems. She’d sent the final draft of her article to his employer and even then no word had come from Simon. Maybe he hadn’t even seen it. Or cared to read it.
Ginger gave her a pointed look. “I think he’s lonely.”
“Simon is one of those men who prefers his own company.” Certainly he’d preferred it to hers. But then he’d moved to her hometown, befriended her brother and yet never once tried to contact her. What did it all mean? Was she part of the reason he’d come here, or was it all a complete coincidence? Was she just assuming he’d been thinking about her because she’d been unable to stop thinking about him?
When she’d first met him, introduced by her guide, she’d found him incredibly attractive with his scruffy hair and beard. He had a slight English accent that could melt the hardest of hearts.
Cat’s heart had been far from hard, especially when Simon had promised information for an article that was sure to wow her editor. And it did. The article ran a few months ago, right alongside her main piece about Kenya. Those were good days and that was a trip of a lifetime. One she’d probably never be able to take again.
“Cat?”
“What?” She opened her eyes. When had she closed them? She looked down at Opal. The baby slept undisturbed.
Ginger smiled. “I thought I’d lost you there.”
“Almost. Tell Zach there’s no need to get crazy or anything.” Cat stopped, not sure how to explain. She wasn’t proud of the choices she’d made that had led to her pregnancy, but she couldn’t claim it was Simon’s fault. It had been a mutual decision, made when emotions were high and they hadn’t been thinking about consequences.
She hadn’t written a word in that article about being followed to the point that they’d had to run for fear of real harm. That wouldn’t be good for a travel piece. But it had made for a thrilling adventure—one that had left her head spinning, and her good sense tumbling by the wayside.
“What happened? I mean, you know, if you care to share.”
The other two women in the room glanced their way as they left and headed back to church. Cat didn’t want to go to church. She’d rather hide out here awhile longer. She glanced at her sister-in-law, who was waiting for her to answer, eyes wide.
“I went to Kenya for a travel piece and saw this gorgeous opal in a Nairobi market. It came from the north in Ethiopia. I thought I should check out the opal trade there and my editor agreed. So I flew into the capital city of Addis Ababa and that’s where I met Simon, a real live gem hunter. He was able to take me to one of the opal mines.”
“Go on.”
Cat sat forward. “It’s unbelievable how precarious it is. The mines are holes in the sides of sheer mountains. The miners are local folks, and many used to be farmers.”
Ginger’s eyes were still wide. “Weren’t you afraid? All by yourself like that?”
“No.” Cat had loved her job, filled with adventurous travel that had kept her far from home and her past. Now it was over. She couldn’t leave Opal with just anyone and that had brought her back to Maple Springs and her family.
Cat shrugged. “I always had a reputable guide, so I felt safe. Simon served as my guide to the mines and he has a solid reputation in the industry. One evening, after he’d made a large purchase of raw opals, we were followed. Those men didn’t look like they’d play nice either, and the next thing I knew, we were running. We finally lost them, but it was raining so hard we took shelter in an abandoned hut for the night.”
Ginger absorbed the tale. “Did those men who were chasing you ever get the opals?”
Cat shrugged. “I don’t know. The next day, Simon had a local pilot take me back to the capital.”
“And you never saw him again?”
“Not till today.”
“Wow.” Ginger looked thoughtful.
“Yeah.” Cat glanced at the door when she heard a soft knock.
Simon entered, his close-cut hair tousled in the front as if he’d tried to pull it all out. “Cat, we need to have a talk.”
Her stomach tipped at the venom in his voice. “I suppose we do.”
Ginger stood, giving Simon a pointed look as if warning him to play nice. “I’ll check back before church lets out.”
Simon held the door for Ginger and then closed it behind her.
He stood slightly taller than average and was slender with a few streaks of silver gleaming in his dark hair. He sat in the seat that Ginger had vacated.
He took a deep breath and let it back out, a cautious expression spread across his face. “You’re sure it was me?”
Cat snorted. “Yeah, I’m sure.”
“Okay, okay.” He raised his hands before rubbing them against the tops of his thighs, clearly nervous. “Have you come home for a bit, then?”
She wasn’t giving anything away, even though his nervousness surprised her. He’d shown no fear when they’d been on the run from those men. “I heard that you’re leaving.”
He leaned back in the chair. “After Christmas, yes.”
“Why?”
He shrugged. “Living here wasn’t working for me and I’d like to get back to the hunt.”
Cat nodded. It was what she’d known all along. A man like Simon would never settle down.
He took a deep breath. “Look, I don’t know how to be a good father.”
“And I know how to be a mom?”
His eyes narrowed. “You appear to know what you’re doing and you’ve a good family here.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You have a solid support system. I will support you too, you know, financially.”
Cat sighed. So, they were only a financial obligation to him. “I’m not looking for you to do anything.”
Simon shot to his feet and ran his hand through his hair. “I won’t abandon my own kid.”
He’d abandoned her—setting her on that plane as if he couldn’t wait to be rid of her despite the night they’d spent together. She’d thought they’d shared something special, but the morning after proved it obviously hadn’t meant anything to him—just as their daughter didn’t seem to mean anything to him now...other than money he needed to pay.
She didn’t want him complicating things for her or Opal as some absentee parent whose only connection to them was child support. Or worse, popping in and out of their lives. A person couldn’t parent halfway and Cat wasn’t into taking his money unless Simon showed that he wanted to be a real dad.
“Can I hold her?” His voice was whisper-soft.
Cat wanted to refuse. He was leaving in a month’s time. Why bother pretending to care if he wasn’t going to make any commitment to stick around? And yet because he was leaving, what harm could there be in granting this small request?
With a sigh, she got up and walked toward him and settled Opal in his arms. She continued to support the baby from underneath and, being this close, she caught the light scent of Simon’s spicy cologne. “Cradle her so you don’t drop her. Okay, that’s it.”
“I’ve held a baby before.” He awkwardly adjusted his arms.
“Yeah? When?”
A dark shadow crossed his face. “A long, long time ago.”
“Support her neck.” Cat finally relinquished her hold and stepped back, curious. “What baby did you hold?”
“My little sister and brother.” Simon cradled their daughter and his face softened.
“Ah, so you do have family.” He’d refused to answer that question before.
“If you can call them that, yes.” Simon didn’t elaborate and concentrated on Opal’s face.
Cat watched the man melt before her very eyes. The sight nearly undid her.
He looked back up at her. “Cat, I have no idea what to do.”
“You’re holding her just fine.”
“That’s not what I mean.” He looked as if he’d been torn in two.
“What do you mean?” she whispered.
Simon’s gaze bore into hers, searching.
A different woman stepped into the room with a crying infant and her eyes widened when she spotted Simon.
“You’d better go.” Cat reached for Opal.
Simon didn’t hand her over. “Come with me.”
Her stomach flipped again, but Cat killed the butterflies swirling there. “Where?”
“My house isn’t far.” He waited for her to decide.
Cat could refuse, but they’d have to finish this conversation eventually. Before he left, anyway. She supposed she owed him that much.
Glancing at the woman waiting for Simon to leave so she could feed her baby, Cat quickly grabbed her diaper bag and followed him out.
Chapter Two
Simon held open the door to his rental house for Cat and the baby. She stepped inside and set Opal, bundled inside a car seat, down in a puddle of sun shining on the hardwood floor. She took off the little fleece blanket that covered the baby and looked around.
“Would you care for tea?” Simon walked past her into the kitchen.
Cat shook her head. “Thank you, but no. I shouldn’t stay long.”
He didn’t know why not. He’d faced her lion of a brother in the sanctuary on their way out the door and had told him that Cat was coming home with him so they could figure out a few things. Simon didn’t know where to start, so perhaps a tour might break the tension. “Let me show you around. It’s not much, but there are two bedrooms.”
Room enough for Opal.
What was he thinking? He couldn’t care for an infant. One glance at the protective way Cat checked on the baby, and Simon had his doubts about her ever letting the child out of her sight, much less leaving the baby alone with him.
His baby—whom he never would have known about if he hadn’t seen her in church today.
Why hadn’t she told him?
Cat followed him in icy silence. His place might be small, but it was tidy with a nice-sized wood-burning fireplace in the corner and big windows and a view of Maple Bay. The short hall led to two bedrooms across from each other and a full bath at the end. His room was sparsely furnished with only a bed and nightstand. He’d never felt the need to own more than the essentials.
“There’s no pictures or anything. Have you packed things up already?” Cat kept looking around as if she expected more.
“No, this is it.” He’d never owned artwork and he certainly didn’t have family portraits to hang. He didn’t remember his mother taking pictures. But then, she’d never spend money on a camera. Not when drugs had been more important.
Back in the living room, Cat sat on the tan couch. His furnishings might be well made, but he got the feeling they were lacking under her critical gaze. “How long have you been here?” she asked.
He sat in the only other piece of furniture in the room, a handcrafted rocking chair with a curved high back. “I moved here the end of May.”
“Why?”
Simon stopped rocking and looked at her. “I guess I wanted a break. The way you described Maple Springs, I thought it’d be the perfect place to design and sell jewelry on a smaller scale.”
“Isn’t it?”
He shrugged. “It is, but I’m done. I want to get back to what I do best.”
“Are you selling the store?”
“I have a lease. It doesn’t end until May, but the owner has agreed to let me break it early. I’ll liquidate inventory and then move on.” That plan didn’t feel quite right anymore.
Cat didn’t look comfortable, considering the way she perched on the edge of the couch.
“Relax, Cat, we’ll work this out.” He had no idea what he was talking about, but equally confusing was her anxiety. She had nothing to fear from him.
If anyone should be scared, it was him. For the first time in his life, he’d fathered a child. He wasn’t sure how that would change his life but knew it would.
She noticed the Bible on top of his journal and ran her fingers over the top. “And this? I didn’t think you were religious before—though I guess we never actually discussed it.”
“True. I wasn’t interested in faith when we met. But since I’ve been here, I’ve found God. I surrendered my life to the Lord in that community church where your brothers attend.”
“So, you know Zach pretty well?”
Simon wasn’t sure about that, but he’d felt a certain kinship with the man. “Well enough, I suppose.”
Opal fussed and Cat stood. “He’s not happy about this, you know.”
“I can’t say I blame him.” Simon stood too. “Might I have another go at holding her?”
Cat’s pretty blue eyes clouded over. They were the color of star sapphires he’d found in Sri Lanka. Finally, she nodded, picked up the baby and then settled her in his arms as she had before.
Opal quieted, her eyes wide as she gazed up at him.
That baby gaze hit him in the midsection. He ran his finger down the baby’s cheek, knowing he couldn’t abandon her.
Simon didn’t know much about babies, but Opal struck him as a beautiful one. “You’re a pretty miss, aren’t you?”
“She favors you, I think.” Cat looked as if she hadn’t meant to say that.
“No, I’d say she’s pretty like her mom.” Simon stared at Cat, drinking in the sight of her. In all his imaginings of what he’d say if he saw her again, he’d never expected this. “I don’t have a clue where to begin.”
Cat forced a smile. “I know.”
Opal fussed before letting out a howl that made Simon wince.
Cat gave an awkward laugh. “I’ve learned to interpret that cry. I was hoping to get home first, but apparently that’s not going to happen. Do you mind if I use your, uh, bedroom to feed her?”
Simon felt his face flush. “By all means.”
Watching her walk away, he clenched his jaw, remembering the last time she’d walked away, after the intimate night they shouldn’t have shared. Why hadn’t Cat taken— He halted that rabbit trail. Opal was as much his responsibility, maybe even more so. Cat had been cold and scared, thanks to the rain and the men they’d had to flee. She’d trusted him to keep her safe. Too bad he hadn’t kept her safe from him.
He stepped into the kitchen and filled the teakettle with fresh water before placing it over a high heat. Rubbing the back of his neck, he considered all the things that went into caring for a baby. A monumental amount of things. He wasn’t ready for that.
He prayed for direction but couldn’t grasp that settling of his spirit. The peace he’d recently realized now eluded him once again. Opal was a game changer and he had no idea of the rules or even how to play.
By the time he’d fully steeped his tea bag, Cat came down the hall, carrying a sleeping baby.
“Well, I’d better get going.” Cat could not look more beautiful. Her dark blond waves framed her face and wide blue eyes. And his child in her arms just made the picture prettier. He still had so many questions for Cat—about Opal, and about everything that had happened in the past year. They hadn’t scratched the surface of anything.
“Why didn’t you contact me about Opal? I know I’m not the easiest person to reach, but you could have sent a message to me through my employer.”
She settled the sleeping baby back in the car seat and wouldn’t look at him. “I don’t know, Simon. I...”
“What?” He prodded.
Her gaze met his and he was stunned by the stark emotions he found there. “I didn’t really know you.” Then she looked away. “I figured you’d rather not know.”
So she’d called the shots, without giving him a chance to decide what he wanted. An inadequate answer on every level, especially since it was sheer chance that he’d discovered the truth. Had she come home after the New Year, he’d have been gone without a peep that he’d even been in Maple Springs.
“You figured wrong.”
Her blue eyes widened. “Can we talk some other time? I’m really tired.”
For the first time, he noticed the faint smudges under her eyes and the fight went out of him. “Another time, then. I think we should exchange numbers, though, just in case.”
Cat nodded and gave him her number.
He entered the information in his phone and then gave her his business card. “That’s got the shop hours on it. I’m closed tomorrow. I close Sundays and Mondays.”
She slipped the card into the diaper bag but didn’t say anything.
This was all wrong, but he didn’t know how to make it right. Cat did look weary and he didn’t want to be the source of more worry. “Thank you.”
She paused before leaving, her brow furrowed. “For what?”
He took a deep breath and calmed down. “For letting me hold her.”
Her eyes filled with tears. “Yeah. Sure.”
He didn’t know if he should try to comfort her or simply let her go. This was all new to him. He’d never been close to a woman before. He’d never wanted more than a temporary or casual relationship. He had to admit that he’d given Cat no indication that he’d care to know about Opal. He’d known there was a chance that their actions could have had consequences, but he’d made no effort to check in with her afterward. Part of him wished he didn’t know, since ignorance was bliss and knowing was...
Relationships had always ended, but having a daughter wouldn’t. Opal was his and would always be his. The question was, what would he be to her?
He took a step forward. “Need help with the seat?”
“I’ve got it. No worries.” Cat waved him away. She looked plenty worried to him, as if she carried the weight of the world in her arms instead of a wee one.
He watched as she backed up her car and drove away. As he stepped inside his house, it felt far too empty. The hollow sensation in the pit of his belly was unwelcome, as well. He’d lived alone for so long, coming and going as he pleased, he’d never wanted any other way. He’d tried something different by moving to Maple Springs but resisted the community that tried to embrace him. He’d never allowed himself to truly belong.
Now he belonged to someone named Opal. He was her father.
Fathers were supposed to be there for their kids, open to all kinds of disappointments and hurts along the way. Simon had experienced God’s love in a tangible way he couldn’t begin to explain and was still trying to figure out.
God would not want him to simply walk away, but really, the responsibility was daunting. Could he become a good father by starting out with a young one? Only God knew.
* * *
Cat entered her parents’ home and leaned against the door after she closed it. Opal still slept in her car seat. Cat wouldn’t mind a little sleep too. Forever came to mind, but she was no storybook princess and Simon was no prince ready to kiss her back to life. In fact, he had a nice escape route planned. Again.
Simon.
It hurt that he’d lived in her hometown for months, knew her brothers and yet hadn’t made one move to contact her. Zach hadn’t even known that they knew each other.
“Cat?” Her mom’s voice pierced the fog of her thoughts. “You okay, honey?”
She shook her head, horrified at the tears rolling down her cheeks.
Her mom didn’t hesitate to wrap her arms around her. “Tell me what happened.”
Cat shuddered with a shoulder-shaking sob.
“Andy, come get the baby out of the doorway.” Her mom led her into the living room.
“What’s wrong with her?” Cat heard her father’s whisper.
Then she heard Zach’s booming voice. “Is that Cat? Is she crying? I’ll kill him!”
“Zach, settle down!” her mother warned and then turned to Cat. “What happened? Is this about Simon? Zach told me. He’s Opal’s father, isn’t he?”
Cat nodded. No point in denying it.
“I knew it! That slimy—” Zach’s voice startled Opal awake, so he continued his rant in a whisper. “All this time and he never said a word about you—”
“Zach! That’s enough.” Their mom’s tone broached no argument and her brother zipped it.
Cat’s father picked up Opal and walked with her, gently shushing the now-crying babe.
Cat pulled away from her mom. She hated to admit that seeing Simon hurt more than she’d ever expected. “Simon was fine. I’m just tired and my hormones are out of whack.”
Zach took a step back as if she’d admitted to having the plague or worse.
Her mom winked. “Come upstairs. You should sleep when you can or you’ll go crazy.”
Maybe she’d already gone mad. She thought she could do this on her own, but one look at Simon holding their daughter and she wasn’t so sure.
It seemed like another lifetime when Simon had wrapped his arms around her, making her feel priceless, like some rare gem he’d searched for his whole life. He’d kissed her that way too, but it had been because of their flight in the night. It hadn’t been real; otherwise he would have tried to see her again. He would have at least admitted to her family that he’d met her.
She followed her mom, who’d taken Opal, and headed up the stairs. Once in her old room, Cat sat on the bed and watched as her mom laid Opal in the old crib they’d hauled down from the attic.
“Make sure she’s on her back.” Her voice sounded too shrill.
“I know, Cat. It’s okay. You said Simon was fine with all this?” Her mom’s voice was whisper-soft as she wrapped the baby in a swaddling blanket.
“Not quite.” He’d looked like she’d put him inside a snow globe and shaken hard.
“Then how was he?” Her mom’s shrewd gaze locked onto hers.
“I didn’t think I’d ever see him again.” It was all Cat could muster.
Her mom nodded. Like so many times growing up when Cat hadn’t given up the whole story, her mom simply waited. And like always, Cat crumbled under that steady gaze. “He’s leaving after the holidays. But he said he’d give financial support.”
“That’s good.”
“Is it?” Cat couldn’t get the image of him holding Opal out of her mind. He’d been captivated, as if he couldn’t believe such a treasure existed.
Her mom’s gaze narrowed. “The last time you were home, you were adamant about raising Opal on your own. You refused to name the father, let alone contact him.”
“I know.” The last time she’d been home, Simon had been on his way to moving here. Crazy. She’d been so sure of herself then. Cat didn’t know what she wanted now, after seeing him.
Her mom brushed Cat’s hair back as if she were still a child. “Sleep now. Things will look better after you wake up.”